Dynamic crack propagation in specimens with a surface irregularity

Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Benchmarking International Food Safety Performance in the Fresh Produce Sector

The objective of this paper is to assess food systems performance in Mediterranean countries to deliver safe food (fresh produce), and to demonstrate the capacity to the satisfaction of private customers and public regulators. To that end, an international benchmarking exercise was developed to assess the quality performance gap in food standards across countries and food systems. The study was carried out in three Mediterranean countries: Spain, Morocco and Turkey and involved an audit of the citrus and tomatoes supply chains, and a comparison with existing "best practice" in infrastructure and management practices at both firm and industry level. The aim was to identify the gaps between fresh produce exporters and a best practice company. To that end, the Spanish fresh produce supply chain was used as the benchmark since in many areas it is more advanced than elsewhere.benchmarking, performance, quality and safety, fresh produce, Mediterranean countries, Food Consumption/Nutrition/Food Safety,

Precise temperature measurement for increasing the survival of newborn babies in incubator environments

Precise temperature measurement is essential in a wide range of applications in the medical environment, however the regarding the problem of temperature measurement inside a simple incubator, neither a simple nor a low cost solution have been proposed yet. Given that standard temperature sensors don’t satisfy the necessary expectations, the problem is not measuring temperature, but rather achieving the desired sensitivity. In response, this paper introduces a novel hardware design as well as the implementation that increases measurement sensitivity in defined temperature intervals at low cost.Web of Science1412235802356

A jejunal stromal tumour in a patient with metastatic neuroendocrine cancer of unknown origin; a rare coexistence, diagnostic and therapeutic challenge

Pacjentkę 59-letnią przyjęto do Kliniki Gastroenterologii z powodu postępującego spadku masy ciała, biegunki o niewyjaśnionej etiologii, oraz wykrytych w badaniu ultrasonograficznym licznych ognisk hyperechogenicznych w wątrobie. Wykonano celowaną biopsją cienkoigłową i rozpoznano zmiany przerzutowe o utkaniu neuroendokrynnym o wysokim stopniu zróżnicowania (cytologia + immunohistochemia). Badania biochemiczne wykazały podwyższone stężenie chromogranin A (CGA) w surowicy krwi i zwiększone wydalanie kwasu 5-hydroksyindolooctowego (5-HIAA) w dobowej zbiórce moczu. Scyntygrafia receptorowa ujawniła dodatnią ekspresję receptorów somatostatynowych w obrębie zmian w wątrobie, natomiast nie znaleziono żadnego pozawątrobowego patologicznego ogniska gromadzenia znacznika mogącego odpowiadać pierwotnemu guzowi neuroendokrynnemu. Rozpoczęto leczenie objawowe długodziałającym analogiem somatostatyny i równolegle do tego podjęto decyzję o zakwalifikowaniu pacjentki do celowanej peptydowej receptorowej terapii radioizotopowej. W tym celu wykonano kontrolne badanie tomografii komputerowej jamy brzusznej, które oprócz zmian w wątrobie, wykazało nieopisanego wcześniej dobrze unaczynionego guza w jelicie cienkim (pierwotny guz neuroendokrynny?). Pacjentkę skierowano do leczenia operacyjnego. Ku zaskoczeniu autorów pracy badanie histopatologiczne wykazało dodatnią ekspresję CD117 potwierdzającą rozpoznanie rzadkiego guza stromalnego jelita cienkiego. Dwa miesiące później rozpoczęto peptydową receptorową terapię radioizotopową z użyciem 90Y/77Lu-DOTA-TATE. Pacjentka otrzymała dwie dawki tego leku, obecnie jest stabilna, zaplanowano dalsze leczenie.A 59-year-old woman presented to the Department of Gastroenterology complaining of progressing weight loss, unexplained diarrhoea, and, as revealed by abdominal ultrasound, numerous hyperechogenic foci in the liver. The immunohistochemical evaluations of the specimens from biopsy revealed well-differentiated hepatic neuroendocrine metastases. The biochemical marker levels, including serum chromogranin A (CGA) and urine 5-hydroxyindolacetic acid (5-HIAA) 24-hour excretion, were significantly elevated. Whole body somatostatin receptor scintigraphy showed tracer accumulation in the liver lesions, with no extrahepatic tumour, possibly the primary origin. Long-term somatostatin analog therapy was initiated and a peptide-receptor targeted radionuclide therapy decision was made parallel to this treatment. Therefore, a followed-up CT scan of the abdomen showed, as well as the metastatic changes within the liver, a wellvascularised jejunal tumour suspected to be the primary focus of the disseminated neuroendocrine neoplasm. Unexpectedly, the pathological examination revealed a positive cell reaction for CD 117, confirming the diagnosis of a rare jejunal stromal tumour. Two months later peptide-receptor therapy with 90Y/77Lu-DOTA-TATE was commenced